Trinity House briefly considered taking over this Fort to use as a lighthouse to mark the outer end of the Sunk Head Sands at the Barrow Channel, but concerns that any settling of the Fort on the seabed - making it list - would upset the lights, meant that the idea wasn’t pursued

Sunk Head Fort was used by Tower Radio/Radio Tower between October 1965 and April 1966. When the project ran out of money they abandoned Sunk Head leaving behind a virtually new generator and all the broadcast equipment.

Unlike some of the other forts, Sunk Head was clearly well outside territorial waters and when the Marine Etc Broadcasting (Offences) Act came into effect in August 1967 the Government was anxious to ensure that it wouldn’t be taken over again by an offshore broadcaster.

On 18th August 1967 Sunk Head was boarded by a contingent of the 24th Field Squadron of Royal Engineers from Maidstone from the tug Collie, under the command of Major David Ives.The Fort was weakened by acetylene cutting torches and 3,200 pounds of explosives were set. On 21st August 1967 Sunk Head was blown up, leaving 20 feet of the leg stumps remaining.

Top left: the Navy demolition party approach on the tug Collie

Top right: fuses have been set

Bottom left: the explosion

Bottom right: all that is left of Sunk Head Fort

Photo: jingleweb.nl

Sea Structures

Thanks to Martin van der Ven for allowing us to use some additional information from the Broadcasting Fleet section of the Offshore Radio Guide in this Gallery